RATIONALE: Testosterone can cause the growth of prostate cancer cells. Hormone therapy using estrogen and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog may fight prostate cancer by lowering the amount of testosterone the body makes. Giving estrogen in a skin patch may improve quality of life and help patients live more comfortably.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well the estrogen skin patch works compared with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog in treating patients with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer.

No concurrent participation in another clinical trial of prostate cancer treatment that would preclude study therapy or outcome measures

Concurrent prophylactic radiotherapy to prevent gynecomastia allowed

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00303784